Toy gun



Apr. 24, 1923 Y R. H. WILLIAMSON I TOY GUN Fild Feb. 19 1921 Patented Apr. 24, 1923.

UNITED STATES 1,452,902 PATENT OFFICE.

ROY H. WILLIAMSON, 0F SPOONER, WISCONSIN.

TOY GUN.

Application filed February 10, 1921. Serial No. 443,918.

To all whom it may concern: f

Be it known that I, RoY VVILnIaMsoN, citizen of the United States, residing at Spooner, in the county of Washburn and State of \Visconsin, havejrnvented certain new and useful Improvements in Toy Guns, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to toy guns.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a toy gun constructed to deliver a projectile with accuracy and yet employing a projectile which is of a harmless nature so that children may safely use the gun and derive considerable enjoyment from its use and become somewhat skilled in marksmanship.

Another object of the invention is to provide a toy gun employing a projectile which is not only of a harmless nature but which will likewise be noiseless and capable of being readily located after it has been delivered from the gun.

The gun embodying the invention includes a fixed detent and a trigger actuated detent, and a projectile in the nature of an elastic band which is to be engaged Withthe detents and stretched or tensioned at the time of such engagement, and another object of the invention is to so construct and arrange the trigger actuated detent that the same will be withdrawn from the line of vision at the time the trigger is pulled, thus providing for greater accuracy in aiming and firing the gun.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for limiting the movement of the trigger in its return to normal position after having been pulled, and thus relieve the trigger actuated detent and particularly the mounting therefor, of shock which would otherwise tend to disturb the rela tion of the parts.

.A further object of the invention is to so construct and position the fixed detent with which the projectile is engaged that the same will not be struck by the projectile as the projectile leaves the gun, thereby providing against deflection of the projectile from the line of aim.

Another object of the invention. is to so construct the gun that while it is designed to function readily with a projectile especially designed for use in connection there-- with and in the nature of an elastic band, ordinary rubber bands cannot be successfully emploved with the gun, and therefore,

fer no obstruction whatsover to the these missiles which might prove harmful under some conditions, are rendered useless, and a child using=the gun will be dis'-' (jouraged in their use.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the toy gun embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a detail vertical longitudinal sectional view through the stock of the gun, the trigger actuated detent and trigger for actuating the same being shown in elevation as well as the trigger spring.

Figure 3 is a perspective view in detail of the end of the barrel portion of the gun and the fixed detent.

The gun embodying the invention may be made of any material found suitable for the purpose, such for example as wood, and is preferably fashioned so as to provide parts 1. 2 and 3 respectively representing the butt, stock, and barrel of an ordinary gun or rifle. These parts may, of course, be more or less elaborately fashioned so as'to suitably enhance the resemblance to a firearm, and, of course, the gun may be made of any desired dimensions. Likewise, the body of the article might be fashioned to simulate a pistol or revolver without departing from the spirit of the invention. In any event, the upper side of the barrel portion -3 and the stock 2 will present a smooth and unobstructed surface extending along a straight line from end to end, so that the projectile which is stretched or tensioned over the surface of these parts will in no way be interfered with at the time of its release and discharge from the gun,and will not in any way be deflected from the line of aim. As previously stated, the gun embodies a fixed detent and a trigger actuated detent, and the former is indicated in general by the numeral 4 and comprises a pin 5 having either a pointed or a threaded entering end 6 adapting it to be secured permanently in the end of the barrel portion 3 of the gun body. The min 5 will have its upper side located substantially in the line defining the upper surface of the barrel 3 and preferably the pin will be slightly curved or deflected in a downward direction so that its upper side will be somewhat rounded and thus ofassage thereover of the elastic band whic comprises tlie projectile and which will presently be specifically described. At the point,

of insertion of the pin 5 into the endof the barrel portion 3. the upper side of the barrel portion is formed with a shallow notch T which is of sullicient width to accommodate the poition of the band comprising the projectile which is looped about the said pin.

The projectile referred to above is indicated in general by the numeral ts and the same is in the nature of an elastic band having a core 9 of rubber of any suitable dimensions and a wrapping or covering 10 of webbing or any other soft material such as is usually employed in the manufacture of covered elastic. Preferably. the band comprising the projectile 8. will be of relatively large diameter so that in the first instance it may be the more readily rel *ased by the trigger actuated detent under conditions which will presently be described. and. in the second instance. it will be relatively soft and. therefore. not liable to cause injury if one should be struck by it at the time of its discharge. from the gun. Furthermore. because of its relatively large size and because of the fact that the elastic webbing or covering 1. which comprises a part thereof, may be made in conspicuous colors. no difliculty will be experienced in locating the projectile after it has been fired or discharged. The projectile, therefore. presents advantages over rubber bands of the ordinary type which are difiicult to perceive after they have fallen to the floor and which are liable to prove injurious or cause pain upon coming in contact with the face, should the gun be accidentally or mischievously discharged. Also. the projectile fashioned in accordance with the invention possesses the advantage that it has sufficient mass to knock over small objects which it may strike when discharged from the gun. and this notwithstanding its harmless nature. Furthermore. because of its construction it is practically noiseless.

The trigger actuated detent is indicated in gene :11 by the numeral 11 and the same comprises a cylindrical pin 12 titted for free vertical sliding movement in a tubular metal bushing 13 fitted in turn fixedly in a bore 14 formed in the stock 2 near the juncture of the stock with the butt 1. In a manner to be presently explained. the detent 11 is normally supported in position with its upper end projecting a short distance above the upper surface of the stock 2 and above the upper end of the bushing 13. the said upper end of the bushingbeing preferably flush with the said upper surface of the stock. At its lower end the pin 12 is formed with an eye 15 which projects into the upper portion of a recess 16 formed in the stock and opening through the under side thereof. The recess 16 houses the trigger and its spring. and the said trigger is indicated in general by the numeral 17 and is preferably formed from a single length of stout wire bent upon itself at a point between its ends as at 18 to form portions 19 lying closely side by side and constituting the finger piece of the trigger. I the one located next the butt end of the gun. is bent at its end portion to provide an eye 20 pivotally engaged with a pin 21 passed through the stock 2 and extending tl'2lllH-'tl tl within the rear end of the recess to. the trigger being in this manner pivotally supported with the lower ends of its portions ltland its bend 18 projecting below the under side of the stock and. therefore. in position to be conveniently engaged by the linger in firing the gun. The other portion 19 is extended forwardly from a point adjacent to the eye 20 to provide a forwardly curved finger 22 which projects.

near its extremity through the eye 15 of the detent 11. The lower open side of the recess 16 is closed by a trigger plate indicated by the numeral 23 and formed with a slot 24: in which the finger piece of the trigger works. A leaf spring 25 is bowed to provide a lower portion 26 which bears against the upper face of the plate 23 forwardly of the trigger. and an upper portion 27 which bears upwardly against the under side of the finger 22 of the trigger. The spring 25 serves to yieldably hold the trigger 17 swung upon its pivot 21 to a position to project the upper end of the pin 12 above the upper surface of the stock 2. and the movement of the trigger in this direction is limited by the engagement of the forward one of the portions 19 against the forward end wall of the slot 24, as clearly shown in Figure 2 of the drawings. \Vith the parts in normal position. the said forward one of the portions 19 of the trigger will engage against said end wall of the slot and the finger 22 will be spaced slightly from the upper wall of the recess 16. Therefore, while the lower end of the bushing 13 projects to a point substantially flush with the said upper wall of the recess, neither the finger 22 nor the eye 15 can at any time come into contact with the lower end of the bushing and, consequently, even though the trigger be repeatedly snapped. the bushing 13 will not be disturbed because of any blows struck against its lower end.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings. it will be understood that in using the gun the projectile 8 is looped about thefixed detent 4 and is then stretched or tensioned and looped about the projecting upper end of the pin 12 comprising the movable detent. If desired. the said pin 12 may be slightly depressed or pushed downwardly at the time, the projectile is engaged thereover. so as to produce substantially a hair trigger effect. In any event, when ()ne of the portions 19. namely til) llll

- said plate, a trigger comprising a length of wire bent upon itself toprovide a finger the trigger isjpulled, the pin 12 will be the band 8 will be released, thus resulting in the band being discharged from the gun. Inasmuch asthe band 8 is of relatively large diameter in cross section, it cannot become pinched between the pin 12 and the upper end of the bushing 13, and this is likewise prevented because of the webbing or other covering 10 which is applied to and sur-.

rounds the elastic 9. Thus. the projectile will be released with certainty when the trigger 12 is retracted but if an attempt is made to employ an ordinary thin rubber band with the .gun, the adhesion of the 'bandto the pin will in most instances re-- sult in the band being pinched between the pin and the upper end of the bushing 13 as the pin is retracted and, therefore, an ordinary rubber band cannot be successfully employed in connection with the gun, which is of advantage as previously pointed out.

Having thus described the invention, what lsclaimed as new 1s:

1. In a toy gun employing an elastic band as a projectile, a gun body, a fixed detent pin projecting forwardly from the end of the body, a detent normally projecting above the upper side of the body, and trigger means for withdrawing the last mentioned detent in a downward direction, the said gun body at its said end and upper side being rovided with'a notch within which the said pin is located.

2. In a toy gun, a gun body having a recess in its underside, a pivot pin extending across the recess, a trigger comprising a single length of wire bent to provide a terminal eye pivotally engaging the pin and having a downwardly projecting finger piece and a directly forwardly projecting finger, a detent pin slidable in an up and down direction in the said body and having an eye at its lower end projecting into the recess and engaged by the said finger of the trigger, and a fixed. detent at the forward portion of the body.

3. In a toy gun, a gun body having a recess in its under side, a plate closing the recess and provided with a slot, a pivot pin: extending across the recess above the piecehaving one terminal formed with an eye pivotally engaging the said pin, the finger .piece fitting through the slot in the said plate and adapted to engage one end wall of the slot whereby to have its movement in' one direction limited by such engagement, the other terminal portion of the wire being extended forwardly within the recess to provide a finger, a detent pin slidable in an up and down .direction in the gun body and having its lower end projectlng into the recess and operatively engaged by the said finger, and a bowed leaf spring arranged between the said finger and the said plate and having one of it's members resting against the upper side of theplate and its other member engaging beneath and bearing upwardly against the said finger whereby to yieldably hold the trigger in position to project the detent pin.

4. In a toy gun, a gun body having a recess in its under side, a pivot pin extendrection in the said body and having an eye at its lower end projecting into the recess and engaged by the said finger of the trigger, a fixed detent at the forward portion of the body, a tubular bushing in the body receiving the first mentioned detent in for sliding movement, means for limiting the movement of the trigger in a direction to project the associated detent pin, and a spring yieldably holding the trigger moved in such direction.

5. In a toy gun employing an elastic band as a projectile, 'a gun body, a fixed detent pin projecting forwardly from the end of the body, a detent normally projecting beyond the upper side of the body, and trigger means for withdrawing the last-mentioned detent in a downward direction, the said gun body at its said end and upper side being provided with a notch within which the said pin is located, the pin being curved in a downward and forward direction with its upper side located substantially in the line defining the upper surface of the gun 

